Samsung to increase Silicon Valley presence with startup hub?

Samsung's quiet Silicon Valley presence is reportedly expanding with the addition of a new start-up accelerator.

All Things Digital has reported that the South Korean company has plans to open a new Palo Alto location that will serve as a sort of hub for emerging companies to begin their life in the technology field.

The plans were allegedly influenced by David Eun, the relatively new Samsung executive vice president and former Google and AOL executive.

Unnamed sources told the site that Samsung is close to signing a deal for "a prominent venue" in the California town, where Facebook's main offices used to reside. The electronics giant, according to All Things D, is looking to find a new home on the second floor of what used to be the Borders Books on University Avenue.

Samsung did not immediately respond to request for comment.

As All Things D pointed out, there is no word on whether the new facility will aim to assist new startups, or grow its own products. No matter, sources told the news site that the incubator will "be aimed at linking Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and other players more closely with Samsung."

Not exactly the new kid on the block, Samsung announced in September expansion plans which will see the relocation of a US R&D Center to a new 8.5-acre campus in nearby Mountain View, California. According to a September news release, the new center will provide what Samsung called "a state-of-the-art campus" with the infrastructure to support the company's expansive activities.

Construction on the six-story, 385,000-square-foot, class-A office building (as well as two five- or six-story parking structures) is expected to be open in 2014.